Mtihani ni mgumu.

to be

Breakdown of Mtihani ni mgumu.

• mtihani: the exam
• mgumu: difficult

Questions & Answers about Mtihani ni mgumu.

What is the function of the word ni in the sentence "Mtihani ni mgumu."?

Ni is the copula here, acting like the verb "is" in English. It links the subject mtihani (“exam”) to the adjective mgumu (“difficult”), thereby forming the complete descriptive statement.

How does the adjective mgumu agree with the noun mtihani?

In Swahili, adjectives must agree with the noun’s class. Mtihani is in the m-/mi- noun class (where singular nouns usually start with m-), so the corresponding singular form of the adjective is mgumu. If you were referring to multiple exams (i.e., mitihani), the adjective would change to migumu to reflect the correct noun class agreement.

Why is the sentence structured as Subject – Copula – Adjective in Swahili?

Swahili often uses a straightforward sentence structure where the subject comes first, followed by the copula, and then the predicate (which in this case is an adjective). In "Mtihani ni mgumu," mtihani (exam) is the subject, ni is the copula linking the idea, and mgumu describes the subject. This pattern mirrors simple English sentences like "The exam is difficult."

Is any additional verb conjugation needed when using ni in this descriptive sentence?

No further conjugation is needed for ni in this context. In Swahili, ni is used as a present copula for simple descriptive statements. For tenses like the past or future, different constructions would be used, but for a present, factual statement like this one, ni remains unchanged.

How can I turn "Mtihani ni mgumu." into a question?

To form a question, you can add the interrogative particle je at the beginning of the sentence. For example, Je, mtihani ni mgumu? translates to “Is the exam difficult?” The particle je signals that the sentence is a question.

What is the plural form of mtihani and how does that affect adjective agreement?

Mtihani belongs to the m-/mi- noun class. Its plural form is mitihani. Consequently, the adjective must also change to match the noun class in number. So while you use mgumu with the singular mtihani, you would use migumu with the plural mitihani.